New York, the big apple of my heart

New York, the big apple of my heart: Chapter 9

Mom made me.

Mom made me wear a mini-skirt at school. With high heels.

When I came in, with my brand new (Mom  bought it) bag that looked a bit like Lauren Moffat's (I wonder if Nelly helped her to choose it), everyone stared at me in a really weird way. Finally! I was being actually seen. I was not the old-fashioned, boyish girl who doesn't care about her style.

"What the fuck, Emily?" Leo told me while I was taking my books from my locker for class.

"What, Leo? That's my new look. No worries, Mom made me."

"Do you even see what's happening? Three guys just broke up with their girlfriends for you."

"So what? I'm finally seen. I'm not a no one anymore. I mean, look. Now I know how it feels to be popular. Even Lizzie told me I looked much better like this than before. And it doesn't feel unpleasant. At all. And Lauren Moffat wears strings."

"What a nice difference, really! You're dressing up like some kind of prostitute." He said before leaving.

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 Lizzie and I decided to dress up as Oriental dancers, although I don't really know how to dance.

She was going with Nicholas. I had a date.

A real date.

Not Leo. He never called back. I felt depressed. What had I done wrong? I mean, I dress up now a little bit more girl-ish, that's all. Lizzie and I went shopping together with my Mom's credit card. I bought really cute things. And I was getting all those invitations!

My date was a really nice, hot boy (hot,but still not as hot as Leo): Dominic Cooper, which was the quarterback of the football team. He has soft, blonde hair, and green eyes. He's cute. And at least he called back! And he commented on my outfit. It wasn't inappropriate, because Lauren Moffat's outfit was composed of a teeny tiny silver skirt that looked like some kind of belt, a teeny tiny silver top and silver high heels boots.

Dominic is really nice. He took really good care of me, brought drinks for both of us, invited me to dance... Everything was going great until I went to the ladies' room to adjust my make up. Because...

"WHAT THE FUCK??????? THESE ARE THE LADIES' RESTROOMS."

"I know how to read, Emily," said Leo. "You tell me. Really? Dominic Cooper?"

"So what? Dominic is really nice. At least he invited me to the party. As his date. And he took care of me, and didn't treat me like I was a piece of crap."

He stayed silent, staring at me, obviously really mad. Gosh, he looked even more gorgeous in that Zorro gown!

"You said you would call back, Leo. You want me to stay there waiting for you, "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore are thou Romeo?" I'm sorry. I can't wait long. I'm not some other girl you screw around and then treat like a damn nothing! I thought you were different. I thought that I was different. I thought you loved me."

"You are different-it's just, I couldn't call you back. I was busy-"

"Busy? Like I believe you. What the hell was more important than just take your damn phone, dial my number and invite me to the party? Let me think. Ah! I know. You were busy screwing other girls around. You always do. That's the only thing you know how to do. Being a gentleman? That's just way too much for you. Well, consider me out of your league."

I took my make up kit and left. I think that was good. I mean, I was right. He told me he actually loved me. I had been waiting all my life for this to happen. I had waited long enough to just give up. I'm sure no one resists that much. If there was a place in the Guinness Book for that kind of thing, I think I would be the one who scores that record right in the face of the other people.

The rest of the party went good. Dominic was perfect for me. Kind, attentioned. A gentleman. And he was in the football team. He had abs. He smelled nice too. I liked him.

There's a difference between like and love.  I liked Dom. But even after the fight I got into with Leo, I still loved him. He was my prince charming. Even if he was the biggest pervert, jerk, player and stuff on Earth, he was the one.

Dominic and I danced together. I had my chin on his shoulder, my hand around his neck, his around my hips. It was particularily slow and romantic. From above his shoulders I could see Leo dancing with Lauren. Lauren Moffat. I just wanted to slap her a couple of times. She looked happy, "Yay, I'm dancing with Leo Thompson, can you believe it?! AAAAAHHH!!!" happy. He looked upset and annoyed. Everytime his eyes met mine, he'd look away. I mean, I was going out with Dominic, wasn't I?

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After the dance, Dominic took me on the balcony. I tried to feel relaxed. According to the Disney fairytales I used to watch back when I was five, when Prince Charming takes Princess to the balcony, the moment should be really romantic, with roses and soft breeze and stuff, very important for the first kiss.

"Emily..."he whispered.

"Mm?"

He kissed me. And that was it. Nothing more than a kiss. No sparkles, no fireworks. Nothing.

He is a good kisser. A perfect match, hot, with abs, cute butt, great smile, shiny teeth, wonderful eyes. But my pulse didn't raise when I saw him. And I felt nothing. Just nothing.

He smiled, then kissed me again. I kissed him back. Like I said, I liked him.

"Emmy,"he said. "You're so different from the other girls. You're not another clone of Lauren Moffat. I really, really like you."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you. You're so sweet, Dom. I hope things are gonna work out between us."

"I hope so. Really, really hope so."

I smiled. He did too. Hand in hand, we went back inside, where we found Lizzie and Nicholas dancing and we joined them.

I felt good. I had been kissed twice.

Wait, did I feel that good?

I hadn't kissed the man I loved so much...